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"For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.' So they went. Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, 'Why have you been standing here idle all day?' They said to him, 'Because no one hired us.' He said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.' So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, 'Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.' And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, saying, 'These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.' But he answered one of them and said, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?' So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen."
- Matthew 20:1-16
On Tuesday, we read about the rich young ruler who came to Jesus and asked, "What good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?" Jesus' answer to him was, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, and come, follow Me." The young man went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. Yesterday, we read that then Jesus said to His disciples, "Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?" But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." Then Peter answered and said to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You. therefore what shall we have?" So Jesus said to them, "Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first."
"For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.' So they went. Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, 'Why have you been standing here idle all day?' They said to him, 'Because no one hired us.' He said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.' So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, 'Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.' And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, saying, 'These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.' but he answered one of them and said, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?' So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen." My study bible tells us about this parable: "Jesus describes a startling reversal of positions. In this parable: (1) the vineyard is the life God gives us in the world; (2) the day is the time of laboring, the here and now; (3) the laborers are those He calls to fulfill His commandments; (4) early in the morning and the third, sixth, ninth, and eleventh hours refer to the different ages of those who draw near to God: those who from earliest youth, from mature age, or from very old age hold to virtue. God's generosity provides equal access to and enjoyment of rewards in the life of the Kingdom for both early and late comers. Jesus teaches the former they should neither be proud of their long service, nor question those called at the eleventh hour -- lest they themselves lose all. To the latter, He teaches it is possible even in a short time to recover everything. In Jesus' ministry this parable applies to the Pharisees and sinners, while in the early Church it applies to Jews and Gentiles. St. John Chrysostom's famous Easter sermon is based on this parable; for him the reward is the Lord's rich banquet of the Easter Eucharist."
I think it's important that we note early in the morning, and the third, sixth, ninth and eleventh hours also as suggestive of prayer cycles, or hours prayers. We can also link this teaching with the reading on the rich young ruler, who went away sorrowful because he had great possessions, as suggestive of the possibilities that are still open to this young man, whom Jesus loved. We don't know that he didn't come later to do as Jesus taught. My study bible points out the Easter sermon attributed to St. John Chrysostom, in which he suggests the reward for all is the Easter Eucharist. There are many parallels we can draw if we think about them. But the promise here is clear: the last will be first, and the first last. We will all come in our time, and our time is His. It doesn't matter when we are called; it is He who does the calling, and He who decides the reward. It's another example of the paradox of the life of faith: God's thoughts are not our thoughts, and God's ways are not our ways. Time belongs to Christ; our lives are not necessarily our own in the complete ways that we like to think of them. When the vineyard owner tells the early laborers, "Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?" it's a clear statement of authority, of God's ownership and power. We just don't know how God works with each person in their life; we can't say nor judge the process of faith in others. We can't say when they're called, and we don't necessarily know when someone has refused a call. But I think it becomes very clear here from this parable what the purpose of time is: it is to give us time to hear this call and to respond to it. Those who refuse the call of grace surely do pay consequences for it, but that doesn't mean they will not come to respond at a later time. The Apostles need to understand that as the leaders in the future Church, they will have in their care those who will come later, who will be called later, and that their leadership consists in caring for those who will come later who are every bit as precious to God as the first called. And there we get the picture of the great community of the Kingdom, even the communion of saints, and a proper understanding of time in Christ's sight. We don't know where and how each of us are called, what roads we need to travel to get there, and how God calls to each. But, the harvest is always ready: in Luke's Gospel, Jesus tells the Seventy Apostles, as they are sent out, "The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest." How do you labor in His vineyard? First or last, do you know others who may be called? Perhaps they are inspired by your labors. But the time of our lives is for this purpose. For our good work, and a good harvest, let us be truly thankful!
